Want cash like Warren? How to stack paper without ditching ASX shares

Life is about trade offs.

Person with a handful of Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

Those who own ASX shares face an existential trilemma: how much cash to hold, how to finance new investments, and when to sell existing ones.

Cash has to come from somewhere to purchase new assets. Keeping cash on the sidelines is one way to remain trigger-ready tactically.

But there's a trade-off to holding cash versus putting it at risk in, say, equities or some other asset class, such as bonds.

For every dollar that's retained, that's a dollar that could be working in the market. Thinking long-term, there's a compounding gap here.

Warren Buffett's latest moves at Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) have seen the conglomerate amass a $325 billion cash pile.

And based on Buffett's history in similar instances, there's a clear lesson for investors: sometimes, holding cash is as strategic as investing.

Here's what the experts say about holding cash in your portfolio.

Holding cash while owning ASX shares

If we all held only cash in our portfolios, there'd be no financial markets. There'd be no capitalism. Cash is typically put at risk in the aim of it earning a return.

That is, it will be worth more in the future than it is today.

In finance and asset management, cash isn't necessarily the five-dollar notes held in your hand or stashed in the tin by your bedside drawer. That's money.

According to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, the major global investment education body, cash equivalents are very liquid, short-term, low-risk instruments that are immediately convertible to cash.

These include money-market instruments, such as US Treasury Bills, that mature in 90 days or less.

Critically, they pay a bit of interest – meaning the cash actually compounds in value, unlike the money under the bed.

In the past 20 years, a $1 investment in cash under the above pretence is worth about $1.90.

In contrast, the same dollar invested in a vehicle tracking the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the same twenty-year period is worth more than $4.

While shares carry more risk, investors are clearly compensated for holding this exposure as their stocks carry higher prices over time.

But the core issues remain. New investments have to be financed from somewhere. You have to be trigger-ready and able to pounce on opportunities swiftly. There are also taxes to consider.

Cash management is, therefore, a central tenet of sound portfolio management.

Role of cash in multi-asset portfolios

Cash reserves in a portfolio have several roles. For one, they act as a buffer, especially during turbulent markets for ASX shares.

This reserve enables you to seize buying opportunities when prices dip without needing to liquidate your current investments at a loss or avoid the tax burden of trimming down your winners.

Think of cash as your portfolio's shock absorber; it smooths out the ride and keeps you agile.

In 2014, Buffett famously mentioned that he'd aim to keep "at least [US]$20 billion" of Berkshire's portfolio in cash for the above reason.

But Berkshire's most recent filings showed it held more than US$325 billion in cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet.

This comes after the legendary investor sold significant portions of Berkshire's top stocks, including large slices of Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC).

But he hasn't abandoned the market. Instead, he's simply prioritising cash flexibility to capture future opportunities—an approach that Australian investors can emulate with ASX shares.

And getting the balance right is tremendously important.

According to Goldman Sachs Asset Management, almost 95% of a portfolio's volatility is "driven by its asset allocation."

"That means selecting an appropriate asset allocation is generally more important than selecting the right stocks and bonds used to implement it", Goldman added.

Advantages of cash (and how much to hold?)

For Australian investors, balancing cash and ASX shares can work well, especially if done in a tax-efficient manner.

According to investment house Merill Lynch, holding cash in a portfolio has two main advantages.

  1. Emergency funds. This speaks for itself, and it rolls into the second point, but you need some money on the side without having to sell down assets, Merill Lynch says.
  2. Optionality. This is where the tactical component is activated. According to the firm, this "should be kept separate from your emergency fund, in accounts that you can tap relatively quickly."

But by now, the question that is surely on everyone's minds is, "How much cash to hold?"

In the risk of sounding cliche, the simple answer is: it depends.

Optimal cash percentages vary based on personal risk tolerances. Many investors aim to keep 10% to 20% of their portfolios in cash, others 2–5%, and many individuals stay entirely in cash.

Meanwhile, US Bank recommends "a general rule of thumb" of 2–10% of your portfolio. That means $100,000 in value might hold anywhere between $2,000–$10,000 in cash at any point in time.

Whatever the case, it will depend on your individual needs and goals, along with compounding returns.

ASX shares takeaway

Those choosing between ASX shares and cash have plenty to think about. On one hand, cash offers optionality, giving you plenty of dry powder to work with. But you could be missing out on long-term returns.

On the flip side, if you're fully invested, that exposure is there. But there's no freely available cash for new opportunities.

Life is about trade-offs. And this is one of them.

Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Apple, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, and Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

More on Investing Strategies

A business woman flexes her muscles overlooking a city scape below.
Blue Chip Shares

Brokers name 2 strong ASX 200 shares to buy now

These shares are among the top picks on the benchmark ASX 200 index according to analysts.

Read more »

Different Australian dollar notes in the palm of two hands, symbolising dividends.
Dividend Investing

3 high-yield ASX dividend stocks named as buys

Analysts think big returns could be on offer with these buy-rated stocks.

Read more »

A happy boy with his dad dabs like a hero while his father checks his phone.
Small Cap Shares

Buy these small cap ASX shares for big juicy returns

Analysts have good things to say about these buy-rated stocks.

Read more »

Rail worker in hard hat kneels over train tracks inspecting tracks
Dividend Investing

A fund manager is backing this fallen ASX 200 dividend giant as a turnaround buy

This ASX 200 stock could be on track for a turnaround.

Read more »

Young woman using computer laptop smiling in love showing heart symbol and shape with hands. as she switches from a big telco to Aussie Broadband which is capturing more market share
Growth Shares

Goldman Sachs loves these ASX 200 growth shares: Do you own them?

Why is the broker bullish on them? Let's find out.

Read more »

A woman standing in a blue shirt smiles as she uses her mobile phone to text message someone
Dividend Investing

Why income investors should buy Telstra and this ASX 200 dividend share now

Analysts have good things to says about these two giants.

Read more »

Man smiling at a laptop because of a rising share price.
Index investing

If you invested $5,000 in the Vanguard Australian Shares ETF (VAS) 5 years ago, here's how much you'd have today

This popular index fund's returns may surprise you.

Read more »

A couple makes silly chip moustache faces and take a selfie on their phone.
Value Investing

2 ASX value shares that are must-buys for Australians in November

Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.

Read more »